


I Burn For You

by SongbirdSingingThings



Category: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn, ひとりじめマイヒーロー | Hitorijime My Hero (Anime), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Cute Todoroki Shouto, Dad All Might, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, F/M, Falling In Love, First Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Izuku Midoriya is your brother in this, Pining Todoroki Shouto, Todoroki Shouto is Bad at Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:28:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29101041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SongbirdSingingThings/pseuds/SongbirdSingingThings
Summary: All the young ladies and young men of your status have one job as of right now - find a love match, court, and eventually, get married. For Y/N Yagi, she yearns for what every young lady does, although few achieve: marrying for love. Through the twists and turns of navigating her first ball, a chance encounter leads her to come across the son of the Famous Duke of Endeavor, Shouto Todoroki.
Relationships: Midoriya Izuku/Uraraka Ochako, Todoroki Shouto & Reader
Kudos: 9





	1. The Social Season Begins

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So I originally wrote this on Tumblr but I thought that it might also get some love here on ao3. So this is kind of officially my first fic on ao3, and I'm excited to keep updating! It'll be on the same schedule that is on my Tumblr, so you can either read it here or there! My Tumblr and ao3 username is the same (SongbirdSingingThings) <3.

When social season rolled around, all bets were off. The most vicious of claws and fangs were disguised by beautiful dresses and headpieces, followed by the batting of eyelashes and the oh so precarious movements of feathered fans. It happened every year - hundreds of Musutafu’s young ladies braved the social scene in the pursuit of a husband either of their own status or higher. This year was no exception, in fact, it was shaping up to be one of the most influential seasons to date. Several of the most eligible and prestigious lords, viscounts, and barons would be attending the numerous balls that were in the works. While it was expected of the young women to pair up and find a love-match, such relationships always proved to be half-successful. Of course they would be married and well taken care of, but too often did you hear of wives maintaining an empty manor whilst their husbands were off gallivanting at their clubs, or more likely, at brothels. This proved to be your biggest fear - you wanted the beautiful relationship your parents had. The one where your father doted on your mother, bringing her flowers on random days because he happened to see them and think of her. One where he dutifully raised their children together, never once undermining her abilities due to her gender. And one where, right up until her very last breath, he held her hand and whispered sweet nothings to her. It was a sorrowful day when your mother died, but your father carried on in her place, raising you and your elder brother in the most proper and loving way he could. This encouraged you to go forth with your head held high. You would find the one you were meant to be with and not just be a part of a silly little love-match.

“Oh Lady Yagi, you look absolutely wonderful.” With a deep breath you met your eyes in the mirror in front of you and let out a little gasp. The dress you were wearing was utterly gorgeous. It was a very pale blue, even lighter than the powder blue that covered your bedroom walls, and had the most beautiful little detailed flowers scattered across it. There weren’t enough to mistake you with a garden, but there were plenty there to compare you to the most gorgeous dogwood. The necklace that lay across your neck was much daintier than what others tended to wear but you adored it - after all, it was your mother’s. And resting softly on your head was a matching tiara with both diamonds and light blue sapphires.

“My, Mei, you have simply outdone yourself.” You whisper. You couldn’t keep your eyes off of your reflection, the twinkles and glimmers of the jewels doing wonders to accentuate your features.

“Lady Yagi, how you make me swoon,” Mei exclaims, feigning a faint. You giggle at her and swat her gently with your fan. The two of you make small talk she adds finishing details to your look; smoothing out hairs here, clipping in your diamond earrings, and slipping your silk gloves onto your hands.

“Y/N, my sister, we must be heading off!” A call echoed from just outside your room, coming from the main hall downstairs.

“And not a moment too soon, my nerves have been getting the best of me.” You say, a wide smile covering your face. You descended upon the grand staircase to see both your father and your elder brother waiting for you.

“My word! Y/N, my darling, you look divine!” Your father exclaimed, walking forward to place a ghost kiss to your cheek, not daring to mess up Mei’s handiwork. You smiled at your father and looked at your brother.

“Izuku, you look quite dashing.” You tell him, earning a grin from his freckled face. “Hoping to see Lady Uraraka this evening?” A blush quickly covered his face.

“Well, yes, she had told me she would be attending earlier when we took a promenade around- hold on, this is your special evening we need to be discussing.” Izuku says, switching the topic onto you. Rolling your eyes playfully, you took his arm as the three of you made your way into the horse-drawn carriage waiting for you in front of your house. The three of you entered, your father and brother careful of your long dress, and then you were off.

“So my dear, are you excited? Nervous?” Your father asks. You smile and inspect your gloved hands.

“Both. I just wish…” you trail off. Your father leans down to meet your gaze with slight concern in his eyes.

“Wish what?” He says, urging you to continue. A small sigh escapes your mouth as you look back up.

“Father, you have done wonderfully to raise both Izuku and I without Mother here. I think both of us agree on that fact.” You begin. Izuku nods and offers the both of you a grin. “I just wish that she was here. To tell me of what she was feeling when she debuted, how she calmed the churning in her stomach.” You confess, your hands now clenched. You were met with a sad smile from your father.

“How I wish for that as well, my dear. She would always tell me how excited she was for you to embark on your own marital journey. And, while I in no means shared the same experience as she did, I can tell you of what I was feeling.” He says. You look up, curiosity flashing in your eyes.

“Please,” you say, prompting him to tell you. He laughs and leans back on the leather seated cushion.

“Well I, like your brother, had an easy time finding the women we would want to spend the rest of our lives with.” Your father’s sentence earned a blush from Izuku, but no words of contention. I suppose we will be welcoming Lady Uraraka to our family soon, you thought smiling to yourself. “I was a nervous wreck, though, when my eyes found your mother. She was absolutely divine - like the gods had graced the earth specifically with her. She was quick to forgive my nerves and the slight stutter in my voice as I introduced myself to her, and things just seemed to run its own course from there.” You could see the wistful gaze in your father’s eyes as he thought of your mother. “Inko was a most gracious woman, both in mind and beauty. And those qualities, my dear, were passed on to you.” His hand came to cradle your cheek, brushing away the tears that started to well in your eyes. “But this is no time to be in despair, no, it is time to be quite the opposite than that. It’s time for you to find love.”

The carriage stopped rather abruptly, but you didn’t care. You gathered the train of your dress in your hand and were practically buzzing by the time the footmen opened the door. Your father stepped out first followed by Izuku, the latter of which offered a hand to you as you stepped out. The venue was absolutely gorgeous, and it was no surprise considering the man hosting it. Lord Takami was a rather benevolent and expressive man and those traits bled right into his events. With lanterns dotted all over the front steps and the ballroom, candles that seemed to float in midair, and the most magnificent smelling floral arrangements you had ever seen, you understood perfectly - this was what it must’ve felt like for your mother. Out of the corner of your eye, a pretty brunette started to drift towards you and your family, a bashful smile set across her face. Before you had a chance to speak, Izuku stepped in front of you and your father.

“Lady Uraraka, what a pleasure to see you here.” Your brother says, his hand extending to her gloved one.

“It’s truly all mine, My Lord.” She responds as a shy smile flickers across her face. Izuku spares you and your father a nod and a grin before he leads Lady Uraraka towards the middle of the floor, the two melting into the dance being performed seamlessly.

“Those two make such a divine and true love-match, don’t you agree Father?” You gush. Just seeing your brother so hopelessly in love was enough to make your heart flutter.

“I do, my dear,” he chuckles upon seeing your expression, “but we are not here to solely admire them. There will be plenty of time to do that at their wedding,” your father quips, earning a laugh from you. “Let’s get you introduced and dancing, hmm?” Your evening was full of re-introducing yourself to mutual acquaintances and establishing new ones in other young men. You made sure to only dance with those you felt could be a possible match for you, but as time went on you started to lose hope. It’s not that the men were horrid by any means - well, with the exception of one Lord Mineta - but nothing about them seemed to stir your heart. You currently found yourself in a most dull conversation with Baron Ojirou.

“Forgive me, Lord Ojirou, I must get some air. All of this dancing has made me quite light-headed,” you say, excusing yourself.

“Oh! Would you like me to accompany you, Lady Yagi?” He asks nicely. You raise your hand in denial but give him a light smile.

“There is no need. I wouldn’t want to impose on your evening, I will just be a few moments.” You say, slipping away to the outdoor gardens. It was dark, but the luminescence coming from inside Lord Takami’s manor provided enough light so that you could see. You made your way over to the stone railings that bordered the rose garden and held onto it with both of your gloved hands, heaving a sigh. “My goodness…” you whisper, heaving a sigh. The night air nipped a bit at your skin but you paid no mind to it. What does catch your attention, though, were the light footsteps that were approaching you from behind. “Lord Ojirou, as I said before, there is no need-” You begin, but stop immediately when you are met with someone else. He was much different than the man you had just been recently talking to - physically more reserved, taller, and much much handsomer. Even with the scar covering the left side of his face, his presence was enough to make a woman swoon. “Forgive me.” you manage, curtsying a bit.

“Oh, no, it is I who should be apologizing. Pardon my interruption on your… outing.” He says awkwardly. This earns a slight giggle from you.

“This was merely a simple break from the clamour inside.” you say, relaxing a bit more. Before the man could say another word, you see Izuku catch your eye from the steps.

“Y/N! There you are, Father and I have been looking everywhere- Shouto?” Your brother says shocked, his eyes meeting the man across from you.

“Izuku?” He responds, bewilderment flickering across his face.

“My word, it’s been a while! How is your father, the Duke of Endeavor, faring these days?”

“D-Duke?” You stutter out, in awe of the man’s title. Izuku catches your confusion and gives you a smile.

“Forgive me for not introducing you! Todoroki, this is me dear sister, Y/N.” The man, now known to you as Shouto Todoroki, gave you a quick nod. “Y/N, this is Shouto Todoroki. The son of the Duke.”


	2. Calling All Callers!

“Your Grace, I-” You sputtered, dipping small curtsy, trying to show your respect to the Duke. The red-and-white haired man simply raised a hand, waving off the courtesy to show no harm was done.

“There is no need, Miss… Yagi.” Shouto said hesitantly. You gave him a smile and nodded.

“It really is a pleasure to meet you, but I am curious, how do you know my brother?” You ask.

“He and I studied at UA together a couple of years ago.” Izuku commented, beaming at the two of you. A bright grin sprouted across your face.

“Oh, how lovely!” You enthused. “I’ve heard wonderful things from both my critics and Izuku about that institution, people say it’s one of the finest in the country.” This earns a slim smile to spread across Shouto’s face, so thin in fact, that if one weren’t looking specifically for it they would miss it. You just happened to catch it.

“Yes, it was certainly a rewarding experience - the professors there allow a great amount of knowledge to pass through their students.” Shouto’s voice was measured and direct, matching what he was wearing. It was a handsome grey velvet suit with small gold details on the cuffs and coattails, and he had a white cravat with matching gold features.

“Curses, would you look at the time,” Izuku mutters, in his hand a pocket watch. “I’m terribly sorry to cut this introduction short, but it is time that Y/N and I must be departing.” You shoot your brother a bewildered look.

“But Brother, it is quite early,” You noted, wanting to continue the conversation the three of you were having.

“Under normal circumstances you are indeed correct, but I’m sure you would like to be well-rested for tomorrow morning.” He says, a somewhat shyness seeping into his voice. It then suddenly clicked for you - callers. It was custom that the morning following the first ball of the season, young men would be invited into the homes of the young ladies they had an interest in, often bringing along with them gifts.

“Ah, quite right,” you say softly, the daunting events of the next morning making you a little uneased. Out of a nervous habit, you pulled your silk gloves higher on your arms - even though they were at their highest - and sighed. “Your Grace, it was lovely to meet and converse with you this evening. I do hope you excuse our early departure,” You tell Shouto, genuine disappointment in his voice. Shouto simply nodded.

“Of course, Lady Yagi. It truly was a pleasure.” You cutsied with a simper and took Izuku’s arm.

“We must get together properly, how about you come to our club?” Izuku offers.

“Indeed, that would be nice.” Shouto confirms, a hand outstretched to shake your brother’s. From there you bid your adieu and followed Izuku back to where your father was located. The carriage ride home passed by a lot quicker than you would’ve thought, your mind running rampant with questions about the duke’s son.

“Up, up, up!” You whine as you hear Mei trill about. As soon as she pulls back the curtains, the offensive light shines into your eyes causing you to squint.

“What time is it,” you groan as you arch your back into a stretch. Mei rolls her eyes and gives you a grin.

“It is time for you to get up, Miss Yagi.” She replies. You frown as you hear her address you in such a formal way.

“Mei, I’ve told you before - please call me Y/N. We’ve been friends since we were little.”

“And I hope you remember that when you marry some rich man,” she quips, earning a stuck out tongue from you. The two of you always were in sync when you were getting ready for the day. You slip into your chemise and moisturize your hands while Mei is behind you tightening the restricting corset around your torso. Then comes the dress. “Which one, Y/N.” Mei asks, making a point to emphasize your name. You give her a smirk and turn your attention to the dresses she was holding. One of them was a pretty pale pink and had a sheer lace pattern on top while the other was a sage green with a darker green satin bow tied around.

“I don’t know…” you mumble, closely inspecting both of them. You acknowledged that both of the colors and features presented a different attitude - while pink bore a more innocent approach to society, the sage green displayed a much more mature tone.

“Personally, I love both, but I think the sage green is your winner.” A deeper but still feminine voice filtered into your room from behind you. Recognizing it immediately, a wide grin spread across your face you turned around to find your governess from when you were young, Nemuri Kayama.

“Mrs. Kayama!” You exclaim, rushing towards the woman and enveloping her in a hug. While your actions might’ve been seen improper by most of the public, your relationship with your governess was far different than the norm. When Inko, your mother, died, Nemuri helped to pick up the pieces. She was your father’s friend from when they were younger - happening to live right next to each other. From the raw age of eleven, Nemuri became your mother-figure and governess, teaching you how to become an integral part of society but not be quieted and coddled. She taught you to be strong.

“Y/N my dear, it’s truly been too long since the last time I saw you.” She said earnestly, returning your tight hug. “But we are on a tight schedule today - callers will be coming any moment!” Nemuri exclaimed, leading you back to Mei. “Mei, it is wonderful to see you again.” Mei brightens at the raven-haired woman’s words and smiles.

“It’s an honor, Mrs. Kayama! And to be clear, we are going with the sage green?” Mei questioned, holding up the pretty dress. With a simple but clear nod, Nemuri allowed space for Mei to help you into your dress as she went to grab something from the basket she carried.

“Mei, before you do her hair, I have something,” She says, walking back over to you with something wrapped in tissue paper. “For you, my dear.” Nemuri places the wrapped gift in your hand. Daintily, you peeled back the layer to reveal a stunning hair comb. Detailed with gold plated flowers, the comb fit perfectly with your outfit - in the center of each group of petals were pearls.

“Mrs. Kayama…” you say, at a loss for words. Her hands work along with Mei’s as they style your hair into an updo, letting some of the front hairs stay down to make it look more effortless. Finally, Nemuri takes the comb from your hand and nestles it into your hair.

“It was my mother’s and it would be my greatest wish for you to have it.” She says, giving you a smile through your mirror.

“I couldn’t possibly-” you start.

"Y/N. I want you to have it. I have no children, nor will I ever, but I do have you.” Nemuri rests her hands lightly on your shoulders. You bring one of yours up to touch her’s, grabbing hold of it.

“Thank you.”

“Miss Yagi, I would encourage you to settle into the parlor soon, it’s almost 11 o’clock,” A maid said from around the corner. You quickly stood and slipped on your lacy gloves and looked back to both Mei and Nemuri for a final approval of your outfit. You were greeted with encouraging smiles - all you needed to scamper off down the stairs and into the parlor. Waiting there was both your father who was reading this morning’s newspaper.

“Sorry for being a bit tardy, I was catching up with Mrs. Kayama,” you explain, settling onto one of the pristine white couches that adorned the beautiful room. Originally designed and decorated by your late mother, it was full of everything she loved. From the powder pink walls to the white detailing, the beautiful chandelier that dangled from the ceiling, and the most comfortable but chic furniture, all of it seemed to scream ‘Inko’.

“That’s quite alright darling,” he says taking a sip of his tea.

“Is Izuku off with Lady Uraraka? I remember him mentioning that he wanted to take her to the sweets shop downtown,” You mention, smoothing out the folds of your dress.

“Actually, he is-” Your father begins but is cut off by the shuffling of feet. He simply waves the conversation off, signaling that the two of you would continue it later. You, however, were scrambling to your feet in order to look presentable. In walked two of your butlers, and behind them, a group of about five young men.

“Callers for Miss Yagi?” And with one sentence, those four little words, your afternoon was whirled into a twister. You felt flattered, of course, but some of the young men that called for you were just so… dull. Just like at the ball the previous night, Lord Ojirou was kind but boring - his conversation going in one ear and out the other. But, to be polite, you wore a kind smile and nodded when needed. Sir Koda was incredibly shy, so you had to take the reins on your chat. It wasn’t awful, in fact, he was a rather nice man to talk to. He was even so kind hearted as to bring you two white parakeets - a gift for giving him your time. Lord Kaibara and Lord Shoda were both nice enough, each bearing expensive flowers and boxes of sweets. And finally, you were onto the worst out of the bunch. You figured that the afternoon was going nicely, a bit too nicely. Then, of course, Lord Mineta had to walk on in. While he brought along a gift that was nice enough, a pair of sheer lace gloves, he was insufferable to converse with. You made eye contact with your father several times and knew that if he could kick the young lord out, he would, but for the sake of your family’s reputation he abstained. You suppressed a sigh as your conversation with Lord Mineta took quite a serious turn, already talking about a possible engagement between the two of you.  
“Oh Miss Yagi, I can see it now - you and I, a large house in the midst of the city, about ten children-”

“Ten?!” You exclaim, a nervous smile on your face as you brought out your fan.

“But of course!” Your conversation with him continued down this unfortunate path but you chose to focus on the opening door behind him to reveal your brother. You let a breath of relief flow out from you as you saw his familiar face, but it soon morphed to one of curiosity, because behind him, was Shouto Todoroki. You registered Lord Mineta continuing to drone on but your eyes stayed on the duke’s son, watching his simple mannerisms as he followed Izuku to where your father was sitting. It only took another moment for the red-and-white haired man to return your gaze. It was like a fresh rain had descended upon you - a wave of solace seemed to wash over you as your eye-contact remained, finding comfort in his heterochromatic eyes. It was broken, however, when you felt someone’s hands on top of your gloved ones. Wrenching you head back quickly to the man, if you could even call him that, in front of you, you started to feel a light panic rise within you. What on Earth am I doing entertaining this guy? Like hell would I ever become engaged to a man like him, you thought.

“As I was saying, Lady Yagi, I was mentioning how it would be more than kind of you to join me to promenade tomorrow - perhaps noon?” Lord Mineta said, a sickening smirk spreading across his face. You glanced over to Shouto to see he was still looking at you and flashed him a look of desperation.

“I, umm, that is very kind of you Lord Mineta, however I find myself occupied tomorrow.” You say, trying to find any excuse to get out of the situation he hopes to find the two of you in.

“That is curious because I remember talking to the other callers you so selflessly entertained and they mentioned nothing about making plans with you,” Damn, he caught me in a lie. I am surely in for it now,

“That’s because I have made plans with Lady Yagi.” A cool tone graced the room and you turned your head to look up at the speaker. Shouto stood next to you and looked at Lord Mineta with indifference in his expression, but pure confidence flickered in his eyes.

“O-Of course Your Grace!” Lord Mineta stuttered, letting go of your hands. You quickly returned your hands to your side accidentally brushing one across Shouto’s sleeve. “If you would excuse me, I have some business to attend to! Lovely, of course, to chat with you Miss Yagi.” He says and walks quickly out of the room. As soon as the doors were shut, you sighed with relief and turned to face Shouto.

“Thank you so much for helping me,” you confess, giving him a tired smile. “I don’t intend to be rude, but Lord Mineta was-”

“He was incredibly inappropriate and completely mindless.” He says. The bluntness of his words made you laugh, even causing you to bend over a bit.

“Nicely put, Your Grace.” You compliment, amusement still leaking from your voice. He gives you a small smile. “Were you and Izuku at our family’s club? I hope everything was to your satisfaction,” You comment, inviting him to take a seat next to you on the couch. He takes your offer and settles down beside you.

“It was very pleasant indeed, your family was kind enough to provide me with the finest of activities there.” He confirms. You grin and discard your gloves, wanting to rid Lord Mineta’s presence from your memory. You don’t realize, being too preoccupied with the lacy accessories, but his breath hitched a bit at your casual actions.

“I normally don’t get to go, it being a gentleman’s place and all,” you say as you arrange the gloves by your side, “but on special occasions when it’s closed I do love to go horseback riding there. The paths and roads there are always brimming with beauty.” You look back to him.

“Unfortunately I wasn’t able to partake in such recreations, perhaps I shall take a ride another time.” Shouto says.

“I’m sure my brother would love to take you, he absolutely adores his horse but don’t tell anyone I told you that.” You snicker, eyeing Izuku to make sure he wasn’t listening. It seemed to be that he was very absorbed in a conversation with your father, one that he started the moment he walked into the parlor.

“Well, if things go according to plan for Izuku, I do believe he will have less time to give his time to his friends.” Shouto says, a warmer tone to his voice. It took a moment to connect the dots, but your face lit up when it did.

“Is he asking father to permit him to propose to Lady Uraraka?!” You whisper-squeal, your head drifting closer to Shouto’s.

“Indeed,” He whispers back, his smile beginning to widen.

“Well, if he’s too busy to accompany you, I wouldn’t mind doing so.” You say softly, your eyes flicking back to his. Noticing the not-so-far distance between the two of you, you lean back and blush. He doesn’t seem to mind, though, showing nothing to insinuate that he was uncomfortable.

“That would be nice, Miss Yagi.” You think a bit at how he addresses you and smiles.

“Please, Your Grace, call me Y/N. You see, whenever I do an activity with another whether it be picnicking, eating flavored ice, or horseback riding, I consider them my friend. And as my friend, I prefer to be called by my first name.” You say confidently. You can see Shouto clearly process your words and he in turn gives you a soft smile.

“If I am to call you Y/N, then if you wouldn’t mind, I would like you to call me Shouto.” For some reason, butterflies seemed to take flight in your chest when he said those words to you - like your soul had told you that this moment was one to remember.

“Alright then, Shouto.” You quip, a sly grin donning your face.

“How about tomorrow then?” He suggests quickly. You sit back, stunned a bit as his eagerness.

“Huh?” You say shocked.

“Well I did say that I had plans with you tomorrow,” His voice seemed to become a bit more shy as he explained himself, but still held steady. Recalling your interaction from earlier, you laugh a bit and nod.

“Yes, you certainly did. Tomorrow should do splendidly.” You assure him.

“Thank you Father! Thank you!” Your brother’s shouts of excitement pulled you from your conversation with the duke’s son and towards Izuku.

“What? What happened?” You stand up and rush over to your father and brother. Izuku seemed to have a sparkle in his eye, and wait, was that a tear?

“Tomorrow I will be proposing to Lady Uraraka.” He says breathlessly. You let out a shriek of excitement and wrap your arms around him, giving him a bone crushing hug.

“Izuku, that’s wonderful!” You shout with glee. The two of you spin around a bit and you were stationary enough to catch Shouto’s eye, a look of happiness spread across his face.

“Sorry, we can be kind of an energetic family,” You laugh, straightening your dress back out. He, to your surprise, chuckles.

“No, no, I’m not bothered by any means.” He replies. Shouto checks his pocket watch and sighs, regretfully looking back up to the three of you.

“Unfortunately, I must be taking my leave. My father and I have some things to take care of, but Lady Yagi I look forward to our sally tomorrow.” He says, tucking his pocket watch back into his coat.

“Y/N.” You emphasize. Shouto nods and smiles.

“Y/N.” He says, waving as he steps out of the parlor. As soon as it’s confirmed he exited your house, both your father and brother turned to you, expectant expressions on their faces. “What?” You ask, walking back over to fold up your gloves, handing them to a maid so that she could rush them to the washroom.

“Well, how were your callers?” Izuku asked. You roll your eyes and stretch your arms, feeling a little stiff after sitting for hours upon hours.

“They were… fine. Sir Koda was certainly nice to talk to and Lord Ojirou was, well, nice.” You realize that the two of them weren’t really satisfied with your responses, looking for more. “Really, that’s all I can say. None of them were that wondrous.” Your father hummed and closed his newspaper, standing up to rub a hand affectionately on your shoulder.

“You seemed quite friendly with the duke’s son,” he said, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. Unwillingly, you felt your face heat up and try to temper it before it became apparent to the two men.

“Oh, Shouto? He is very polite and kind - the two of us are actually going riding tomorrow.” You say casually as you take a teacup from the table and take a sip of the chamomile that was sitting in it. You hummed at the taste, calmness running through your nerves.

“Shouto, huh?” Izuku said, wiggling his eyebrows and nudging you with his shoulders. You simply rolled your eyes and set the teacup back on its saucer.

“Izuku, you know my friendship policy,” you respond.

“So that was all you planned for? Being friends with him?” You father inquired, a genuine look of curiosity on his face.

“Well, yes, that was what I planned for. I wouldn’t mind it at all if he was my friend. In fact, I would like it very much.” You decide, a soft smile spreading across your face.

“Sis, I know that smile,” Izuku says, pointing a finger at your face.

“What smile am I wearing then?” You ask, raising a brow.

“It’s the same one when Father brought Lord Takami by when you were thirteen.” He says, smiling cockily. The blush on your face returned and you shook your head.

“You're being foolish,” you respond, gently pushing your brother away, earning grins and chuckles from your father and Izuku. While you tried to negate your feelings, you couldn’t help but let yourself admire Shouto - granted, it may be in a more, well, romantic way than you would’ve originally intended. However, that is probably not what he needed. He needed a friend to go horseback riding with and that was what you would be. For now.


	3. Play Me A Melody

It seemed that fate would simply not grace you with a nice outing accompanied by a one Shouto Todoroki. A huge rainstorm had descended upon Musutafu overnight, completely barring any outside activities for at least today, maybe even tomorrow. You sigh with disappointment as you look outside the long windows that belonged to your bedroom, the ivory white curtains pulled back to reveal the downpour. Normally you quite enjoy the rain - its presence like a freshly washed sheet on your bed, bringing a new sense of calmness to the world. But you really wanted this day, just this  _ one _ day to enjoy the outside world.

“No matter how fierce your stare, it won’t change the weather’s mind, my dear.” You heard your fathers words as he entered your bedroom, giving you a knowing smile. The entire Yagi family seemed to accept the fact that you were looking forward to your time with the duke’s son, even though you hadn’t an inkling as to why those desires made themselves known.

“Mother Nature won’t make an exception for me?” You joke half-heartedly, turning around to meet your father’s gaze. He holds out his arm and you take it gently, allowing him to lead you down the staircase. “I assume Izuku is with Lady Uraraka?” You inquire, a small smile settling on your lips. You catch your father nodding out of your peripheral vision and mentally rejoice for your brother. “Izuku as a fiancé, I never thought the day would come.”

“Come now, Y/N, don’t be mean,” Your father insists, turning the both of you now towards the parlor. 

“I’m not Father, I promise, it’s just hard to believe he will be leaving the house so soon.” A forlorn expression graces your features as your father takes a seat on one of the plush couches - the one that your mother always used to occupy. He gives you a smile and takes your hand gently.

“I know it’s bittersweet, but think of the happiness Izuku will experience with his bride-to-be. There’s no conceivable reason that we could shield him from such joy.” Your father’s eloquent words resonated with you, giving you much needed solace when it came to the departure of your sibling. “Would you do me a favor, dear?” He asks, flipping open a book next to him.

“Anything, Father,” you say, words flowing easily.

“Would you play me something?” He asks with a smile, a sparkle seemingly in his eyes. You frown in confusion and tilt your head a bit.

“On the pianoforte?” You asked, trying to confirm his wants. He hums in response and pats your hand, letting you go. You make your way over to the little bench that sat in front of the pretty white pianoforte that stood proudly in the corner of the parlor, sheet music already propped up. “Any requests?” You ask as your hands ghost over the keys, feeling the smooth surface.

“Wherever your heart takes you.” You smile at your fathers words and set your hands above the keys, prepping for the music. It was a piece that was always in your mind - one your mother would play all the time whenever the four of you would all be in the parlor together. As soon as the notes flooded from the pianoforte, you felt yourself get lost in the music. With your eyes closed and your mind set on the melody, you let your fingers fly. Young women of your status are expected to learn how to do several things - needlepoint, painting, conversational skills, but your favorite was always learning how to play the pianoforte. It felt like less of a chore and more of a hobby to you. Memories of your mother sitting next to you on the very bench you were sat on were recalled to the front of your mind. You remember your legs used to dangle off of the mahogany seat, your hands barely reaching the white keys. All too soon they fled back to the depths of your mind, washing away as you played the final notes of the song. You took a deep breath after you finished and smiled.

“That was lovely, wouldn’t you agree?” Your father said. You rolled your eyes and rearranged the loose sheets of music in front of you.

“You will not have me praise myself Father, I couldn’t be so-”

“It was beautiful.” A voice different from your father’s drowned your senses and your eyes flicked immediately towards where your father sat, and where you found Shouto Todoroki. “Really, Y/N, you are quite talented.” You didn’t even try to hide the giddy smile that was spread across your face as you basked in Shouto’s compliment. You stood from the bench quickly and ran a hand down your dress to smooth it out.

“Thank you, Shouto, you flatter me. Don’t mistake me, I’m very glad you’re here, but may I ask you why?” Your question seemed to strike him as the red-and-white haired man straightened and his grip on his coat pocket seemed to tighten.

“Oh, ah, right,” He said, stammering a bit. “Well, because of the rain our outing got canceled, but I still wanted to enjoy the afternoon… with you…” He said. Your stomach seemed to be performing somersaults as you took in his words, reveling in the fact that he was there personally to see you.

“I would enjoy that very much Shouto,” you assure him, stepping forwards before both him and your father. “May I?” You ask your father. The man simply flips to the next page and suppresses a smile.

“As long as you are dropped off at home before 5:00 p.m. - that is when I expect Izuku to be back.” He says, granting you permission. You hold back a squeal and give your father an enthusiastic nod. Your eyes glance back to Shouto’s when you take in his rainy-day appearance. 

“Ah, right, let me get my shawl and I’ll be right down.” You tell him, walking quickly towards the staircase leading upstairs. You break out into a sprint when you’re out of his eye-sight and forcefully open the doors to your armoire, your fingers carding through all of your clothing. Finally finding what you were looking for, you pull on the shawl and tie the ribbon in front of you, securing it in place. As a last minute thought, you grab a ribbon of the matching color and tie it nicely around your hair. You give yourself a once-over in the mirror before flying back down the stairs to meet Shouto. You smile at him before taking his arm as he leads you outdoors.  _ It’s just customary, this is just what happens when you are accompanied by a man _ , you remind yourself, the feeling of his soft jacket on your fingers. That’s when you realize - _ your gloves _ ! You had completely forgotten them in your flurry of activity. Shouto seems to recognize your panic and swallows, a light blush apparent on his cheeks. “I-I can go back and get them,” you propose, already turning back towards the staircase.

“It’s fine.” He says quickly, giving you a nod. “I’ll, uh, just be wary of where my hands are- not that they’d venture anywhere!” Shouto exclaims, looking away from you and instead straight ahead of him, not bearing to embarrass himself any further. You give him a light smile at him and continue your walk outside of the door. To your surprise, no carriage was waiting in front of your home - instead, a simple umbrella was propped up against the side of the house. 

“Shouto, did you walk here?” You ask, seeing him flick open the umbrella to hold over both of your heads.

“I didn’t want to bother any footmen - I myself would hate to stand outside in this rain, so I figured they would as well.” The walk was silent for the most part, just little comments here and there about things that came into view or were on the front of your minds.

“So where are we heading?” You ask, clutching a little bit more tightly onto Shouto’s coat, the chill of the downpour finally making itself known to your skin.

“My original thought was to visit a quaint little café near my estate, but looking at the weather I fear it might be a bit much.” Your heart fluttered at how he was prepared for your outing and could tell that he was sad that both of the plans he had made were unraveling due to the rainstorm. All of a sudden, a loud boom of thunder cracked in the sky, sending a shiver down your spine and a yelp from your mouth.

“I, uh, would have to agree the weather is quite ferocious,” you confess, laughing slightly at your little outburst. The two of you saw a bolt of lightning flicker across the sky, causing Shouto to walk a little bit faster.

“Come, my estate is not that far from here, we can take shelter there until the storm has passed,” You were all too happy to go along with him, that a concern of yours almost lay forgotten.

“I-I couldn’t possibly - it is one thing to be strolling about a public square with you, but entering your home-”

“I have a sister - she can serve as a chaperone.” Shouto interrupted, reassuring you of worries.” You nodded quickly, and along with Shouto, walked briskly to where his estate took up residence. It was absolutely breathtaking - the large oaks that bordered the road were perfectly symmetrical, there were two ponds on either side that were shimmering, and the  _ house _ . Of course, you were very privileged yourself and could afford many a pretty things, but just looking at the Duke of Endeavor’s mansion made you feel leagues beneath the man standing next to you. “Let’s head inside, we wouldn’t want to catch a cold, would we?”

“No of course not,” you said breathlessly, still taken aback by the size of his home.

As soon as the doors were pushed open, four servants were already there, awaiting Shouto’s beck and call.

“Shoji, please ring the seamstress and ask her to bring up some new clothes for Lady Yagi, she is simply soaked to the bone. Asui, if you would please prepare any accommodations the Lady might need, that would be wonderful. Hagakure, I need you to call for my sister so that she may be present when Lady Yagi is able to greet me again. And Tokoyami?” Shouto hesitated at calling his last servant's name. “Alert my father that we have a guest.” All of a sudden, the maid you knew to be Asui escorted you to the left wing of the mansion, urging you to go into one of the rooms. Even if it was just a guest chamber, it was absolutely luxurious. From the four-poster canopy bed to the massive bathroom, you felt as if you had just entered heaven.

“I’ll prepare a bath for you, ma’am, feel free to undress and pull on that robe layed out for you on the bed,” Asui shuffled into the bathroom and began to draw the warm water as you unbuttoned the back of your dress, feeling relieved as the heavy and wet layers were peeled off of your skin. Quickly, you put your arms through the sleeves of the silk robe, reveling in the feeling of the soft fabric kissing your skin. “Alright ma’am, it should be ready,” Asui says, stepping out of the bathroom.

“Thank you so much Asui, I really appreciate it,” you say warmly, lightly touching her shoulder before you step onto the cold tile. You made a beeline straight for the bath and immediately sank your body into the tub, sighing in relief as the warm water washed over you.  _ Just for about ten minutes, then I’ll exit and get dressed _ , you tell yourself, making a mental note. You took care to rub the soap over your skin and inhaled deeply, sensing the scent of ginger and vanilla. “Must be expensive,” you mumble, noting how strong the vanilla scent was. “This had to be imported from Madagascar.” You shrugged and continued to wash yourself, then drained the water when you finally finished. You pulled the robe back on and stepped into the chamber, finding a dry - and seemingly brand new - dress on the bed. It was utterly gorgeous - the pale yellow color reminding you of spring, the neckline sweet, and the puffs of the sleeves perfect. As you step into it, a small piece of paper falls to the floor. Curious, you pick it up, and blush as you read it.

_ This is Lord Todoroki’s favorite color - it seems he has taken a liking to you, so we wanted to make you shine! _

  * _Yu Takeyama, official seamstress of the Todoroki family_



You grin at the little note and tuck it into the side of your dress, saving it to keep. After snapping the last button into place, you gathered your hair and put it up into a simple updo - a bun with some braids wrapping around it. Finishing it all off with a pale yellow ribbon, you stepped out of the room to find Asui, Hagakure, and a woman a few years older than you.

“Ah! You must be Lady Yagi! It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m Shouto’s older sister Fuyumi,” She says warmly, giving you a pleasant smile. Your eyes go wide and you dip into a curtsy.

“The pleasure is mine, Your Grace, thank you for allowing me into your home,” you say calmly, coming back up to meet her eyes. With a kind smile and a nod of her head, she leads you down one of the many hallways of the estate. The two of you make small talk, commenting on the latest styles of dresses for young women these days, how sudden the storm was, and small anecdotes about the last ball. However, the two of you were interrupted by someone shouting in the room next to you.

“-have you  _ completely _ lost your mind?! Inviting some loose woman into our household?!” A feeling of dread settles into your stomach as you quickly comprehend what, or rather who, was the topic of conversation. You.

“Father, I will not have you speak of Lady Yagi that way. She is a friend of mine’s sister, and she has become quite a good acquaintance of mine!” Shouto’s outburst made you feel a bit uneasy, your arm reaching for Fuymui’s next to you.

“A good thing she is just that - seeing as you are to be engaged to the daughter of Count Yaoyorozu.” Those words caused ice to flood your senses. Mindlessly, you turn around and head straight to the front door of the estate. You heard nothing but your heart beating in your ears - you couldn’t hear Shouto’s argument that no, he wasn’t engaged to Momo Yaoyorozu, the daughter of Count Yaoyorozu, you couldn’t hear Fuyumi pleading you to stay, but most importantly, you couldn’t see Shouto bust out of the study that he and his father were yelling in, catching the glimpse of you running out of the door.


	4. To Death With Yellow

The words uttered from the Duke’s mouth had been playing nonstop in your mind.  _ He’s marrying someone. He’s already engaged _ , you thought as you raced back to your home. The rain was still pouring down but you didn’t register it. All you could think of was  _ why _ were those words affecting you in such a way? There was no romantic intention towards yours and Shouto’s outing - just your brother’s friend humoring the naïve little sister. When you finally arrived at the front of your home, you shoved open the doors and marched right inside, water trailing behind your steps. Laughter could be heard from the parlor along with joyous cheers.

“Oh! That must be Y/N, I’ll bring her in here to enjoy the festivities!” You heard your father’s boisterous voice ring. The door from the parlor opened and as soon as your father laid eyes on you, the smile that once graced his face immediately dropped and his eyes filled with concern. “Y/N, dear, what happened?” He fretted, stepping forwards and wrapping one of his arms around your shoulder. You could tell that his sleeves were getting wet from the moisture that remained on your sleeves and skin, but he made no move to step away.

“Nothing eventful,” you chirp, smacking a fake smile on your face.

“Darling, you’re crying.” Your faux sunny disposition dropped as you brought one of your hands up to your eyes. Due to the rain, you must not have recognized the tears rolling down your cheeks.

“O-oh,” you croaked, letting your hand drop to your side and your eyes finding your father’s. As soon as he gave you his signature soft smile, you let your waterworks flow. He enveloped you in a huge hug, letting you rest your head on his chest. Your hands grasped his shirt as you cried, clinging onto his support.

“I don’t kn-know why I’m like this.” You confess, your eyes still swimming with tears.

“You’re just confused, Y/N. This is a very burdensome time for you, demanding your full attention and just waiting for you to trip. You just need to step back for a moment and clear your head.” Your father whispered, petting your head gently. You nod against him and pull back, taking a deep breath before you meet his eyes again. “Now get dried up and come to the parlor as soon as you wish - Lady Uraraka has been wanting to see you and reintroduce herself as your future sister-in-law.” His final words caused a small smile to fall across your lips.

“Alright, I’ll be back down shortly.” You say, grabbing your wet skirts and lifting them so that you could ascend the stairs with ease. Already waiting in your room was Mei, busying herself with some sewing. As soon as you stepped into the room, her eyebrows raised.

“You look like you’ve been to hell and back,” She states bluntly, standing up to lead you towards your mirror.

“In a way, I sort of have,” you joke, letting her hands work their way through your hair, taking out the pins. You saw your reflection and the mirror and almost gasped, forgetting what you were wearing. The light yellow dress, although drenched, was still just as stunning as you saw it before, but you found yourself having a sort of distaste when you saw it. You pulled the note out of the pocket and reread the words.  _ Lord Todoroki’s favorite color, _ you reread that part about three times before your eyebrows started to narrow. “Mei, what would a situation be called if an already-engaged man had invited you out?” You asked as she began to undress you. Mei scoffed at your question and shook her head.

“That would mean that the man in question is a scoundrel for leading a woman on in such a way. To do that to a young lady’s heart is unforgivable.” Her words resonated within you, lighting a newfound flame in your mind.

“Just so,” You confirm as your arms are stripped from the lemon sleeves.

“Do you want a dress in a similar color? I have a rather nice one stored in the back-”

“No.” You interrupt strongly, earning a look from Mei. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean so brash, but I do not want to be wearing much yellow anymore.” You decide, confidence surging through you.

“But you look so lovely in yellow,” Mei lamented, tossing the wet dress that was in her hands in a laundry bin. “Well, if you are so against it, then why don’t we go the opposite of yellow? Maybe that lavender number I’ve been working on?” She suggests, holding up the light purple dress next to you. You flash her a smile and nod.

“Perfect.”

“I’m sorry I’m so late, I don’t mean to put a damper on anything!” You apologize, stepping into the parlor. Inside you found an eager Izuku and an evenly eager Lady Uraraka stood next to him, your father and her parents conversing. Shaking her head, Lady Uraraka rushes up to you and clasps her hands in yours.

“Oh it’s nothing to worry about! I’m just so glad that you’re here now!” She says sweetly, a bright smile on her face. You laugh and nod your head.

“I am too - I am so glad to finally call you sister, Lady Uraraka.” You respond, squeezing her hands.

“Please, since we are finally family, call me Ochaco!” She asks of you. Izuku comes to join your conversation and easily slips his hand around his fiancée.

“Of course, and call me Y/N.” You say, earning an eager nod from her.

“We are holding a party at our club tonight, I hope you are well enough to attend?” Izuku asks you, hope clearly shining in his eyes.

“Of course! Should I plan an outfit accordingly?” You ask. You see the couple shake their heads and smile.

“It’s going to be a casual event, we’re all just going in what we’re wearing as of right now - your lavender dress will do splendidly,” Ochaco says, complimenting your look.

“Lovely! I’ll be looking forward to it!” You exclaim.  _ Finally, something is looking even more upwards today _ , you think.

“Oh, and Y/N!” Ochaco says, grabbing your attention. “A certain Lord Iida has been speaking very highly of you, and he actually asked me to see if you would be interested in going to tonight’s event as his acquaintance!” She gushes, a sparkle in her eyes. You have heard of Lord Iida before -  _ everyone _ has heard of Lord Iida. As the second son of a fabulously wealthy family, he was certainly high up in the social standings and was said to be quite the gentleman. You ponder the thought for a moment, but before you could say anything, your brother does.

“Actually, I think that Lord Todoroki would like to-”

“I would love to attend with Lord Iida.” You interrupt. Izuku turns to you with an incredulous look in his eyes.

“Did you hear what I said, sister? I was saying that Lord Todoroki-”

“I would much rather like to go with Lord Iida, brother, thank you.” You repeat. “I believe Lord Todoroki has other obligations.” You say, holding back the snark in your tone as much as you could.

“Great! I’ll send a letter immediately to let him know, if you’ll excuse me.” Ochaco says, stepping away from you and your brother. Izuku had a very confused gaze, causing you to roll your eyes.

“It’s just as I said, Izuku. I have no interest in attending an event with someone, for example the son of a duke, who is already spoken for. I have to make the best impression I can so that I may have proposals in the very near future. You have no idea what it is like to be a young lady Izuku, so just drop it.” You hiss, glaring at him.

“Shouto is spoken for?” Izuku echoes, his eyes going wide. You give him a nod and look away from him. “I’m so sorry Y/N, I thought both of you shared the same feelings.” He says sadly, giving you a pitied glance,

“We do - it is nothing more than a little kinship, and nothing more.” You say simply, taking a tiny cookie from a plate and munching on it.

“Y/N, you love him, and he certainly has his eyes on you.” Your brother says, exasperation in his voice.

“You’re wrong,” you mutter, shoving any adoring thoughts of Shouto straight to the back of your mind.

“I am not and you know it. What you’re doing right now is foolish.” Izuku sighs, shaking his eyes.

“You have no right to call me foolish, Izuku.” You seeth, pointing a finger into his chest. “Are you not currently engaged to the young lady that captured your heart from the moment you introduced yourself to her? It was both of your first balls and you immediately knew that she was it for you. I’m glad for you, I really am, but  _ God _ Izuku it is not like that for anyone. He is engaged.” You say harshly. If Izuku wasn’t already shocked, he certainly was now.

“To who?” he says, gaping.

“Lady Yaoyorozu, the daughter of the Count and Countess Yaoyorozu.” You say quietly. A beat of silence passes before Izuku sighs again.

“I’m sorry, Y/N, I really thought he was interested.” He said softly.

“Nevermind that - have you met Lord Iida in person?” You ask, earning a brighter look from your brother.

“Yeah, actually. He’s very proper but he’s surely a nice fellow.” He says, easing your conscious.

“And do you know if he is engaged or in that process with someone?” You ask him, holding in a breath.

“No, he is not.” Izuku says, giving you a tentative smile.

“Then tonight should go swimmingly.”

Swimmingly might have been an eager term to use. Lord Iida was certainly what he was described to be - a proper gentleman, always having his arm out for you to link yours with, clearing out people in front of you to have an easier path to get through, and engaging in conversation with you. However, you could feel that something was lacking from him, but you couldn’t place it. He was everything a man ought to be, yet there was a feeling holding you back. However, when the violins started to string out the beginning notes to a familiar dance, you let everything erase from your mind and let Lord Iida take over as he twirled you around the floor. You had to give him props, he was a fantastic dancer. You felt yourself get lost in the steps and in the smile Lord Iida was giving you. The final notes of the song filtered out and Lord Iida twirled you one last time.

“Why that was just wonderful, Lord Iida, I did not know you were such an accomplished dancer,” You gush, giving him your perfected smile.

“That is all thanks to having the right partner, Lady Yagi,” He compliments, earning a small blush. “Could I interest you in another?” He asks politely, stretching his hand out towards yours.  _ He surely has captured my interest _ , you think to yourself. If you had to end up marrying him, it surely wouldn’t be the worst case scenario. He had enough money to keep you comfortable and happy, was polite and nice… but would you be able to enjoy his company all the time?

“You may-”  
“May I have your next dance?” You freeze at the voice. His voice. You plaster on that faux smile once again and turn your face to Shouto. You could feel one of your eyebrows twitch in anger but hold your cheerful demeanor.

“Oh, I couldn’t hold you from a dance with Lord Todoroki,” Lord Iida says kindly, a nice smile on his face as he gestures to the red-and-white haired man next to you. You were sure that Shouto could see the ferocity in your gaze, seeing that he visibly gulped.

“You may,” you reply tersely, nodding nicely to Lord Iida before quickly saying a sweet “do find me afterwards!” Shouto leads you to the middle of the floor and looks intently at you. You say nothing but wait until the music starts, but your breath hitches as his hand touches your waist. Immediately, you are whisked away into the dance - unfortunately, it was a slower one, which provided more opportunities for small talk. You could see Shouto eyeing your lavender dress and decide to comment.

“As soon as the launders in my home have finished drying it, I’ll have them send that yellow dress back to your estate,” you say bluntly, avoiding his eye contact. 

“Please keep it,” he urges, his eyes soft.

“I do not want it,” you snap, your eyes flashing back to him. He sighs and looks down before meeting your gaze apologetically.

“What you heard isn’t true,” Shouto whispers, his grip on your waist as tender as ever. You take a breath and think over your thoughts, not trusting yourself to answer immediately.

“It isn’t, is it Lord Todoroki?” You wonder, malice still laced in your irises.

“What happened to Shouto… I thought we were friends,” he muttered.

“Answer the damned question.”

“I do not want to be engaged to her.” He says earnestly.

“But you are, aren’t you.” You press on. It felt like navigating a sailboat through the ocean’s most horrible storm, Shouto was trying to dodge the truth as much as possible. He knew, though, he had to answer honestly.

“I am,” he mumbles, his expression downcast. You take a deep breath before laying out exactly what you were feeling before him.

“So what was everything to you then? All of those little glances my way, the compliments, that little outing you had planned? You figured you just have to entertain me. ‘Oh that poor little girl who is so desperate to find love, it truly is fun to lead her on. Toying with her is just one of the few joys I find in my life’”. You spit, earning an even more guilty look from the man you were dancing with. “And that dress, what exactly did you have in mind when you gave it to me?” You ask, craving an answer. A few moments pass before he caves.

“It’s my favorite color… I wanted to see it on you because I thought you would look divine in it, and you  _ did _ . Spending time with you, not toying with you,  _ is  _ one of my few joys in life.” Shouto confesses. You almost crumble and sink into his arms right then and there. You were so ready to make your feelings known to him - that you wanted it to be him that you got a proposal from. However, that one person and the secret he kept from you pushed through those feelings and fueled the ever growing fire of your fury. As the dying notes of the music escaped from the instruments you immediately stopped and flashed one more glare towards his way.

“For evermore, you shall never see me in yellow again. Not if it brings you joy because the happiness you gave me has already been snatched away by your piteous actions.” You snarl, bowing to him. “Now excuse me, I must meet back up with Lord Iida. I have heard that he has no fianceé and he is quite the young man. Perfect for me.” You strut away from him before he can get another word in and find Lord Iida. The rest of the evening goes quickly, since you can’t focus on your escort, but on the sorrowful glances the duke’s son keeps giving you.


	5. The Melancholy Of The Heart

The clink of a teacup draws your attention from your daydreaming and you immediately slap on the fake smile that you’ve been managing for the past three weeks.  _ Of all the times to be nodding off _ , you scold yourself as you shift a little in your seat, making sure your posture was still perfect and your hands were placed in the correct way. You were worrying, of course, because seated across from you was Lord Iida’s mother. She was genuinely a kind person, but you were having a hard time conversing with her. Of course you were, because you were forcing yourself to pretend that you’re head-over-heels in love with her son.

“So Miss Yagi, where do your interests tend to lead you? I do tend to find myself rather drawn towards needlepoint,” Lady Iida says, a gentle smile on her face. You place your teacup down on its saucer gently.

“Needlepoint is a very fine activity indeed,” you start with, making sure to stick to exactly what you had been taught when Nemuri Kayama, your governess, had instructed you in the art of conversing. “However I tend to stray more towards the pianoforte - it was a love that both my mother and I shared.” You confess. This earns a pitying look from Lady Iida as she reaches across the small tea table and places a hand on top of yours.

“I was so very sorry when I heard about your mother all those years ago. It must’ve been so hard on the senior Lord Yagi, having the responsibilities of a mother pushed on to him.” At her words, your entire body froze, but quickly heated up again with anger. However, you maintained a placated expression.

“My father did wonderfully with raising both my brother and I. My mother, bless her soul, would be ecstatic with how he accomplished both that and his own business.” You made sure to sweeten up your voice, raising it a few octaves in order to show respect but gently, and subtly, push her into the direction of ‘My father had no issues with acting like both a mother and a father’. It had only been about an hour of this and you were already at your limit. “Oh, would you believe the time? I must be heading home in order to aid my brother with the plans of his upcoming nuptials,” You say, pushing back your chair politely, but quickly, and dipping into a shallow curtsy before excusing yourself. 

“Are you kidding me? ‘Must’ve been so hard for Lord Yagi because he now has to perform more womanly duties’. Bullshit, utter  _ bullshit _ .” You hiss to yourself quietly, finally making your way back to your home.

“Welcome back, Lady Yagi.” A butler greeted you and opened the door. You shot him a quick greeting and a ‘thank you’, before stomping your way into the parlor. You saw Izuku out of the corner of your eye so you closed yours and collapsed onto a couch.

“Y/N, uh-” Your brother began but was quickly cut off.

“Izuku, you wouldn’t  _ believe _ what Lady Iida had to say! Going on about how it must’ve been so hard for Father when Mother died because he had to act as the matron of the household. I mean, seriously!” You scoff, leaning your head back.

“Y/N!” Izuku finally shouted, causing you to sit up.

“What?” You ask back, a confused look on your face due to his outburst. That’s when you finally looked to the left to see who you really didn’t want to see. Shouto. Confusion turned to anger as your eyes left Shouto and latched themselves back onto Izuku. You breathe in and out, deeply, before you start talking. No matter how much you hated him right now, Shouto was of higher status than you and you were responsible for acting a certain way. “Izuku, may I speak with you in the hallway? Privately?” You say, faux-sweetness dripping from your voice as you clench your teeth. You turn on your heel and step into the hallway that was just outside the parlor where Izuku follows you in a hurry.

“Before you start, I am  _ so  _ sorry, I thought you weren’t going to be home for another few hours,” Izuku confessed, his voice a whisper. You closed your eyes and heaved a sigh.

“I know the two of you are friendly, so I am not going to chastise you for inviting him to our house for the day,” you begin, trying to maintain a level of calmness, “just let me  _ know  _ when he is coming.” You beg of him, your eyes imploring. Izuku swallows a lump in his throat and nods. The two of you walk back to the parlor, albeit wordlessly, and you settle on the couch you were seated on beforehand. You could feel Shouto’s eyes burning holes into your back, so you bucked up and finally addressed him. “Lord Todoroki, you seem to be almost everywhere I am these days,” you say, your words laced with disdain.

“It seems that way… indeed.” Shouto says quietly, his eyes flickering in between you and his hands. You internally groan as you think back to your etiquette lessons, particularly the exact one keeping you stationed in that parlor instead of holed up in your room.  _ When in the presence of a higher ranking social class, or if they are to be present in your household, you must entertain or partake in conversation _ . However furious at Shouto you were, you’d be damned if you didn’t uphold your studies. Quickly, you think up a solution.

“Forgive me, gentlemen, but this is the hour I tend to practice on the pianoforte - I should not want to subject both of you to such clamour. Our gardens are quite lovely at this time of day, Izuku, why don’t you take Lord Todoroki on a tour? Or shall I ring the Yaoyorozu household and invite Lady Yaoyorozu so she can partake in the activity?” You state clearly, wanting your words to sting.

“Y/N,” Izuku hisses, a rare glare in his eyes.

“I should like to stay, if you'll allow Y/-Lady Yagi.” The effect your formal name coming out of his mouth has on you is tremendous, and you hate it. You hate how you longed for your first name to be uttered from his lips and how much comfort you found from him when you did. You dipped your head so that he couldn’t see the pain flash across your face and instead make your way over to your favorite instrument, taking a seat on the bench and drawing on the sheet music from memory. It was a melancholy piece - the notes varying from sad to what almost sounded like hope, only to be plunged back into the murky waters of sorrow. You sit there for a moment after you plink out the final notes before you look up to see Shouto’s eyes still on you.  _ Screw the damn etiquette rules _ , you tell yourself as you get up, feeling your eyes get more watery.

“If you’ll excuse me,” You say softly, hurrying towards the outside gardens. How foolish were you to believe that your feelings for him would just vanish? Shouto Todoroki, the Duke’s son, was a one of a kind gentleman. You compared your feelings to that of Tantalus, the greek myth about being just out of reach of the thing they crave, they  _ need  _ the most.

“Lady Yagi,” His voice fed the longing that lingered in your mind - it was almost intoxicating to an extent.  _ No _ , your conscience told you, _ tell him to leave. He hurt you, he lied to you. He. Is. Engaged. _ “I’m not engaged. Not anymore.” Your eyebrows narrowed, perplexity evident. Did you hear him right? It must’ve been a trick of the wind, whistling in your ear in a way.

“Lord Todoroki, that is a cruel joke,” you managed, turning away from him. “You mustn’t say that to a young lady who is so close to being engaged herself.” You bring a hand up to your forehead, feeling a little faint. Although you couldn’t see him, Shouto’s face has morphed into a crestfallen one.

“To Lord Iida,” He states clearly, however this time you can hear the tiny bit of emotion he usually keeps shielded from his voice.

“You mustn’t say that because if it is true, you will have created a situation in which I cannot be fully happy. On one hand I will be married to Lord Iida but always know that my true love, the one that has my heart in his hands, loves me back and will have gone against his father to do so.” You run a hand through your now messy hair feeling the carefully placed pins start to fall out of it. “And on the other, I am to be married to you and will leave Lord Iida feeling played -  _ exactly _ the feeling I felt with you. The way I absolutely loathe that feeling…” you confess, finally meeting Shouto’s eyes again. The two of you stand there for a moment, trying to figure out a solution to a most paradoxical situation.

“Y/N,” Shouto begins, stepping forwards. His hands are inches from yours when you see Izuku race out of the house towards the two of you. Your hands jut back towards your sides as you see your brother approaching. His expression is one of great concern, worry swimming in his eyes. You open your mouth to speak but Izuku does first.

“I-It’s Father, he’s fallen ill. They think it’s pneumonia and they said it’s quite serious…” His words fade into nothing as your mind is spinning.  _ Pneumonia, that’s what Mother had. Izuku is saying that Father has the same illness that Mother had. The illness that Mother had when she died _ . You could see the worrisome eyes of both Izuku and Shouto on you as your vision begins to fade. The last thing you see is Shouto lunging towards you and him yelling your name. Your first name.


	6. Skipping to First in the Ever Growing Line

You hadn’t left your father’s side for a week and counting. Every waking moment was spent fretting over him - whether he was warm enough, whether he had enough to eat… whether he ate at all. You no longer made much of an effort to attend balls, much to Nemuri’s chagrin, and it had been a few days since you took a proper bath. Izuku was feeling just as drowned as you were - while you were serving as a caretaker of sorts, Izuku took on all of the work your father had to do on a daily basis; check the budgets, arrange business meetings, manage the family’s finances… it was just so much to do. Every time you heard your father croak or make a move to get up, you were always on your feet to aid him with whatever he needed. This kept you up late into the night and into the wee hours of the morning. You busied yourself with reading whatever you could to keep you awake. They whirled you away into their worlds of fantasy, romance, and adventure so rich and lovely that you wished to be swept up and dropped right into them. 

It was late, very late, and your nose was buried into the latest novel you had come across all the while making note of every time your father’s breathing was irregular and shallow. That’s why it surprised you when Mei stepped in quietly to say that you had company. You peered over at the little clock that was sitting atop the nightstand and looked back at her with a “are you serious?” look. She merely nods and motions with her head to follow. You don’t budge from your seat, instead pointing at your father who was asleep. With a silent motion, Mei pointed at you and then out of the door, then she pointed to herself and the chair that you were sitting in. You understood and, unhappily, rose from the wooden chair, patted her shoulder, and made your way down the long sweeping staircase. You were sure your hair was a mess and that your dress was all wrinkled, but you didn’t care. It was almost 1’oclock in the morning after all. What surprised you was that you didn’t have just one visitor, but four. All dressed in sharp suits and looking fresh as a daisy, the four young men looked up at you and gained a different response. There was Lord Iida who not only carried a briefcase, but also a vase of beautiful flowers. Well, his butler held that. Your gaze flickered to Shouto’s, and for a brief but fleeting moment, held them. And then there was Lord Kirishima and Lord Bakugou - the boys you had known for almost forever. Katsuki would tease Izuku relentlessly when you were younger, so he did the same with you, but it was all in good fun. Lord Kirishima became Lord Bakugou’s closest confidant - and you did expect that there was more to that relationship than they were letting on - and another one of Izuku’s friends. You cleared your throat as you stopped in front of them, gaining their undivided attention.

“Gentleman, to what do I owe the pleasure of this… lovely, yet early, meeting?” Your words come out a bit more harshly than you intended, but nevertheless you continued to stare the four of them down without your confidence shaking.

“Deku mentioned that he was in need of some help, Half-pint, ” Katsuki said, stepping forward. Katsuki had always been taller than you, hence your loving nickname that left his mouth so often. “Y’know where we can find him?” You didn’t have the urge, nor patience, to listen to why your brother needed four of them exactly, so you just led them to the study instead. You knocked twice and opened the door, revealing a frazzled Izuku sat at his desk, his sleeves pulled up to his elbows and his hair a frizzy mess. He looked up and his weary eyes met yours, and then the rest of your company.

“Midoriya, it’s been a while!” Kirishima said gallantly, walking over to him and putting a friendly hand on his shoulder.

“Seriously Deku, no words for a couple weeks and then we get a letter saying ‘need your assistance’? It would’ve been a shame if that got into the wrong hands and rumors started to float around.” Katsuki says, rolling his eyes. While the three of them conversed, Lord Iida stepped towards you, his butler in toe.

“I thought that you might be under a significant amount of stress lately, so I offer aid in any way necessary. He explains, earning a soft nod for you. “I also thought you might enjoy these flower arrangements - shall I have my butler place them in your parlor?”

“Yes, thank you Lord Iida. They’re lovely.” You decide not to mention how the arrangements were made up of white lilies, the flower that represents death. Lord Iida bows before you and in return you give him a quick curtsy. You slowly begin to step out of the room and you almost make it down the hallway before Shouto stops you.

“Y/N,” He breathes, his voice light but heavy with concern. You don’t correct him when he uses your first name. Instead, you turn to face him slowly. You see him open his mouth to talk but then hesitates.

“Would you like me to fetch a servant for tea? Because other than that, I genuinely do not know how I can be of service to you,” You sigh, bringing up one of your hands to daintily rub your eyes.  _ I need to get back to reading, otherwise I’m going to fall asleep, _ you think to yourself. Shouto frowns and takes a step towards you.

“I want to be of service to  _ you _ .” He admits. His eyes are soft and tender as they look at you, making you wish you had the strength to turn around and march back upstairs to your bedchamber. However, you were running on almost no sleep and hadn’t eaten in awhile, making you weak to his pretty face. Despite your fatigue, a small laugh escapes you.

“I’m not quite sure how that might work,” You say, letting one of your hands settle on your hip. “The young gentlemen of your social class, to my knowledge, have never been subjected to the studies of taking care of someone. That task normally falls upon the women of the household. And, from what I was able to see at your estate,” Shouto tenses at your words, remembering how your whole relationship dynamic swiftly changed when he brought you to his home, “you are up to your knees in servants awaiting your beck and call.” While your words might’ve seemed severe, they were true in all stances. Shouto knew this.

“I’m aware, I still want to help you.” His voice is no longer hesitant, but earnest and insistent. You give in.

“Alright then,” you murmur, motioning with your head that he could walk beside you. He took that opportunity quickly and the two of you settled into a comfortable pace, taking your time walking down the long hallway that ran through the left side of your house. The two of you are silent for a minute before Shouto decides to speak up.

“How much sleep have you been getting?” You expected this question, but that didn’t make it easier to answer.  _ I should just tell him the truth, the bags underneath my eyes are evidence enough _ you think.

“Two, maybe three hours a night.” You hear Shouto suck in a breath and you peek over to see his eyes widen in concern.

“How much have you eaten today?” He asks more quietly, like he’s scared to hear the answer.

“Enough,” you say, hoping that will quell his questioning.

“ _ Y/N, _ ” He breathes, grabbing hold of your arm. Your nonchalant look seemed to cause exasperation from him. “You need to take care of yourself.” You shrug his grasp off.

“I need to take care of my father.” You say instead.

“Where are your kitchens?” He asks, provoking confusion to flash across your face.

“Is there a reason to visit them?” You ask, raising an eyebrow.

“We can get something to bring to your father.” And with that, the two of you began the ‘journey’ to the far corners of your home.

“Do you happen to know where everything is kept?” He asks you, peering over pots and pans that were hanging on the wall. You stifle a laugh at his incomprehension of how a kitchen works.

“The utensils and cookware resides there,” you point towards where Shouto was standing. “There is dried fruit in the cupboards over there and next to them are the fresh vegetables,” you motion to your left. “And the ice house is outside, which stores the milk, butter, and other perishables.” Shouto nods as he looks to where you had motioned, taking note of where everything was located.

“Perhaps we should bring him some dried Y/F/F,” He suggests, strolling over to the cabinet. With a small smile on your face, you shake your head.

“I have to disagree, Father can’t stand the taste for some reason,” You explain. Nonetheless, he digs through the cupboard and finds a little basket of dried Y/F/F. He places them in front of you on the small table.

“But you can. They’re your favorite.” He says, causing you to fluster.

“How did you know that?” You wonder, eyeing him.

“I would’ve loved to say intuition, but Izuku had mentioned it when I came into your parlor. That day when you so charitably entertained Lord Mineta?” A wistful smile fell across your face, thinking back to that time. Shouto had saved you from what would’ve been a most horrendous outing with that suitor, if you could’ve even called him that. “He said something about the fruit tarts on the table he and your father were sitting at, and mentioned how Y/F/F was your favorite. So, eat up. Then we can take something to your father.” You obliged his wants, taking a dried slice of fruit out of the basket and biting into it. The flavors seemed to wrap your taste buds in a warm, and much needed, hug that prompted your smile to grow bigger.

“Thank you,” you say genuinely. A small smile flickers across Shouto’s face at your words as he leans back on a countertop.

“Lord Iida’s flower choice was certainly interesting.” He says bluntly. You bark out a laugh and make haste to quickly cover your mouth, but the damage was done.

“I’m sure he meant no ill intent,” you try and reason, causing Shouto to roll his eyes.

“However he managed to become the suitor at the front of your ever growing line of them is beyond me.” You can hear the hints of jealousy in his voice, bringing you back to your conversation before you heard about your father’s condition. You choose to wave it off though.

“Ever growing line, huh?” You say, plucking another piece of fruit from the basket.

“You must know that you are the most desirable young lady that is out in the season.” He states. You cock your head to emphasize the point that you were in the dark about the subject Shouto was talking about, so he continued.

“Y/N.” The way your name leaves his lips causes your heart to leap. “Not only are you of high social status and come from an honorable and cherished family. You are kind,” he takes a step towards you. “Intelligent,” another step. “Beautiful.” He is now very close to you, maybe only about a foot away. It was when you looked up into his eyes that you knew. He was the one you must marry. Shouto was the only young man you have ever truly imagined a future with. He was not a bore like Lord Ojirou or disagreeable and sickening like Lord Mineta. You could be yourself around him. If you married Lord Iida, you would have to put on a show similar to the one you performed with his mother - the perfect little lady who was quiet, abiding… unspoken. Shouto liked your spunk and your loud little family. He treasured the small facts he learned about you with such care. He loved you.

“Shouto…” You whisper. To hell with the notion of marrying Lord Iida. You could deal with the social repercussions of that later, along with Shouto’s father’s clear disdain of you. That was all just white noise when you looked at the man in front of you and the tender look on his face. It was taboo to engage in serious romantic affairs before engagement, and even then, it was rare for a couple to show public displays of affection. But, you found yourself absolutely drawn to his lips. You leaned in just like the heroine from your book had, making sure that your eyes fluttered shut before you met his… but they never did. Thanks to the clamour coming from down the hallway, the two of you sprung apart and busied yourselves with something in the kitchen when the kitchen maids came in. Fighting a flustered expression, you made yourselves look up and meet your maids’ eyes.

“Oh Lady Yagi, we did not expect you to be here!” One of your maids piped up, curtsying to you and Shouto.

“It’s quite alright, Lord Shouto and I were just preparing something for my Father and didn’t want to bother you,” you explain, earning nods from the little group.

“Please, allow us!” They say, quickly working their way around the kitchen to whip up a small and nutritious meal. Cheese and crackers were placed atop a small tray along with a glass of chilled water. “Shall we take this upstairs to the senior Lord Yagi?” One of them asks, earning a shake of your head. You gently take the tray from her hands and smile.

“If you’ll allow it, I’d like to take it to him,” you say, your voice placated. The maid nods and curtsies again, letting you and Shouto pass through the small hallway together. Silence graces the two of you again but it’s different this time. It was no longer awkward and tense, but comforting and hopeful. The two of you would keep sneaking glances at the other, sometimes catching each other in the act.

“Can we discuss this…?” Shouto asks, his tone now shy again. You nod, not trusting your voice, and give him a smile. “Maybe on the promenade tomorrow morning?” You knew it was ridiculous to get as excited as you were about promenading with Shouto - for heaven’s sake, you already knew that he harbored feelings for you! But his invitation made it all the more real.

“That would be lovely.”


	7. A Pretty Little Ribbon

“I’m telling you Y/N, you’ve got such a glow to you!” Mei exclaims, dangling different colored ribbons next to your dress to see which would match better.

“Mei, that is what people say in regards to pregnant women.” You explain, playfully glaring at her. You were currently dressed in your undergarments and sat in your vanity chair, waiting for Mei to finalize every detail of your outfit.

“Well then, you’re brimming with excitement. And because of that,” she says, picking up your dress and the ribbon she decided on, “I know you aren’t going to be accompanied by Lord Iida.” You freeze up a bit at her words.  _ Was I really so miserable when I was with him? _ You thought. You thawed, though, when Mei placed a caring hand on your shoulder. “There’s nothing wrong with that, Y/N. Your heart was just ensnared by someone else, not letting your feelings budge. It’s a marvel when that happens to a young lady.” You nodded and gave her a smile through your mirror as she began to fiddle with the buttons on your dress.

“That’s a lovely choice, Mei. The design is quite unique, do you know where it’s from?” Mei’s simple smile turned into more of a mischievous one.

“It was a gift. Lovely color, isn’t it?” It’s then when you put the pieces together. The dress was an ivory color and had a beautiful lace overlay, but what caught your eyes was the waterlily yellow ribbon that was tied around the empire waist. Shouto. Not long ago, you remember yourself telling him he would never see you in yellow again. How cheeky of him to have sent along that dress, but it made you admire him a little more. Finally, you were seeing the smart and cunning side of the duke’s son. 

“Indeed,” you confirm, letting Mei help you into the dress. She fasents the small buttons quickly and then moves onto your hair.

“I think a ponytail will do nicely with this dress,” Mei decides, bringing your ornate brush to your hair and untangling it. “The ribbon is wide enough so that it will look lovely.” You let Mei twist your hair in whichever way she pleases. In the end, it always looks good. As she’s tugging the ribbon into place, you glance out the window to see the sun shining rather harshly.

“I ought to bring a parasol with me today.” You say absentmindedly.

“Want to borrow mine?” A sweet voice filters its way into your room, making you turn around to face your door. Ochaco is standing right outside your door, a cheery smile on her face. 

“Ochaco, how lovely to see you!” You greet, standing up and making your way over to your future sister-in-law. “What brings you here? Please don’t tell me Izuku is still holed up in that office making you wait.” You worry.

“Oh no, nothing of the sort!” She assures you, easing your mind. “He’s actually about to be on a break right now, so we were going to have tea.” 

“That’s good to hear. How have preparations been going regarding your wedding?” You wonder, letting Mei hand your lace gloves and clasp a dainty necklace along your neck.

“Everything’s almost finalized! It should be safe to say that the date shall be set for the end of the month. The both of you squeal in excitement.

“How wonderful! I’m so excited for the both of you, truly. It will be a dream to finally have a sister.” You and Ochaco share an eager grin. 

“Y/N, I hate to interrupt both you and Lady Uraraka, but the time might be getting away from us.” Mei warns. 

“Right,” you say sprucely, reaching to your side to grab your little hand purse. “Ochaco, I would love to accept your offer.”

  
  


The sun was beating down rather cruelly, and even through the shade of Ochaco’s parasol, the heat was still getting to you. You prayed that you wouldn’t sweat and if you did, you hoped that the lemony smelling perfume would be enough to drown it out. All around you, picnic blankets and canopy shades were set up with mothers sat beneath them conversing about the latest gossip while children were running around flying kites and playing ball. How far you have come from those carefree days.

“Y/N.” A soft and deep voice roused you from your thoughts, causing you to turn around and look for the speaker. Dressed in a smart-looking navy tailcoat, white breeches, and a soft cream-colored collared shirt, Shouto looked incredibly handsome. “I hope you haven’t been waiting long, the heat is absolutely blistering today.” He says, striding next to you and offering up his arm. You take it gladly, and the two of you begin to walk around the park.

“Not at all, I only just recently arrived.” You reassured him, offering a smile. He nods in return and the two of you settle into a silence, taking in the beauty of the day while also indulging in the little shade that the parasol gave off. It only took a few minutes for the temperature to rise even higher. Even with all of the tea and water you drank this morning in order to calm your nerves, your mouth was now undoubtedly parched. Shouto, too, seemed a bit too warm for his own taste. It was subtle, but you could hear him breathing a bit harder than normal.

“Would it interest you in going into town for a bit? I’ve heard there are some new outlets there,” Shouto suggests. The shopping district of town was certainly an attractive option to you at this point. Due to the tall buildings, the roads were usually cast in the shade and the stores were always fun to browse in.

“That sounds wonderful!” You agree, unconsciously tightening your grip on his arm out of excitement. His heterochromatic eyes seem to light up at your enthusiasm and immediately takes you to his horse-drawn carriage, letting you hop in as he tells his coachman the directions. You quite enjoyed the little ride, relaxing into the plush cushions of the carriage and making small talk with Shouto. You had a family carriage yourself, most young women of your status did, but like everything else, Shouto’s was just one step above.

“How is your brother? I hope he’s not overexerting himself by covering for your father’s duties.” Shouto asks, a slight worry laced in his tone.

“Oh, Izuku’s doing just fabulously with this whole predicament.” You reassure him, your smile showing how grateful you were for his concern. “I knew he would have to take over Father’s business and making sure that the family’s checkbook lined up correctly someday, but he’s doing very well.” Shouto smiles and leans back a bit in his seat.

“That’s wonderful to hear.” You think back to that night when him, Lord Bakugou, Lord Kirishima, and Lord Iida came over to your home in the early morning to help your brother adjust. After all, it was just the night before. Then, it dawned on you how you never apologized for your actions towards the very man sitting across from you.

“I really should have told you this sooner, but Shouto, I am  _ so _ sor-” You are paused by the raise of his hand.

“Y/N, you have no reason to apologize to me.” He says sincerely, reaching forward to take your hands in his. “You did everything correctly. And while yes, your words did invoke some more than melancholy feelings within my heart, it was my fault that they were urged to be spoken in the first place.” His words are firmly put.

“Okay,” you agree, your cheeks a bit more flushed than normal.

“We’ve arrived, your grace,” Shouto’s coachman says from outside the carriage. Much to your chagrin, you unconsciously squeal with excitement as the door opens, causing laughter to escape from Shouto’s mouth.

“Shall we?” He asks, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“We shall!”

“So, where would you like to go first?” Shouto asks as the two of you wind your way down the busy road, peering into the windows of stores. A little boutique caught your eye immediately.

“Ooo, that place looks just lovely!” You say, pulling him a little bit towards it. As the two of you entered the store, your eyes lit up. It might be a stereotype that women of your age were obsessed with fashion, but you didn’t really care. The dresses, accessories, ribbons, and hats that were displayed along the store walls and on the store floor were just to die for. And, like a bee in a flower field, you dotted around to look at all of them, Shouto in toe. You let your finger trail along a beautiful, baby pink lace ribbon.

“Would you like it?” Shouto asked, his voice lowered due to the privacy of the two of you and out of respect for the rest of the patrons in the store. You feel your heartbeat speed up as you felt his breath on your ear.

“It certainly is beautiful, but I left my billfold at my home.” You say, letting the ribbon slip from your fingers and swing back to its spot. “I’ll just come back a bit later in the week to purchase it.” You say, smiling and moving on to the next display to peer down at the fabrics. Unknown to you, Shouto takes the ribbon and hands it two a store worker beside him. He whispers a few words to the worker before following dutilly behind you as you ogled some hair combs. You came across a quite obnoxious looking one, the little silver comb absolutely covered with huge fake pearls and enormous enameled flowers. You put your hand over your mouth slightly to prevent the giggles that would’ve escaped otherwise.

“Y/N?” Shouto asked, causing you to snicker. Shouto’s eyebrows rose, a surprised but happy look on his face. “What’s so funny?”

“It’s just,” you whisper-laugh, covering your mouth with both of your gloved hands now. “This comb is simply outrageous.” Shouto’s gaze follows yours to the comb in question. As soon as he takes it all in, he too has to stifle his laughter.

“It is quite ridiculous,” he agreed, chuckling. From beside you, a helper was shooting you a less than enthused look, so you patted Shouto’s shoulder.

“Alright, I think we might’ve overstayed our welcome.” You murmur to him, earning a quick nod.

“I will be right behind you, I just need a moment longer.” He says, earning a raised eyebrow but nothing more as you smiled and exited. You only had to wait but a moment until Shouto exited the store, letting the door swing back and jingle as he held a small parcel.

“Oh, I didn’t know you wanted to purchase something! I would’ve waited for you,” You frowned, looking between him and his purchased item.

“Think nothing of it. Come, let me treat you to some cream ice. I’ve heard the flavors over in that parlor are the sweetest.” He says, letting you take his arm again and heading straight towards the little frozen desserts shop. The aroma lifted your already high spirits as you took a whiff, sighing happily against Shouto.

“Your Grace! What a pleasure to be serving you on this fine day. Shall I find a more private table for you and your lady?” You felt your whole body heat up. While yes, your intentions with Shouto and how you would like to further your future with him were clear to you, this was the first time anyone has referred to you as the young lady Shouto was courting. And it felt magnificent.

“That will do nicely, thank you,” Shouto says politely, letting the server lead the both of you to a shaded outdoor setting, only one table and two chairs occupying it. Shouto, ever the gentlemen, pulled your chair out for you letting you take a seat first before tucking you in, and then sitting himself down in the chair across from you.

“What will you and your lady partake in today sir?” The server asks, an over-enthusiastic smile on his face.

“I would like something with fruit, strawberry perhaps?” He asks as the server jots down his words dutifully.

“And what will your lady have?” He asked, still looking at Shouto. The red-and-white haired man looked in between you and the waiter.

“Well, you would have to ask the young Lady herself. Since she is the daughter of a Lord, I am sure she is perfectly capable of ordering ice cream. The smile on your face was now as wide as ever as the flustered waiter looked to you, your eyes locked with Shouto’s as he sprouted a smirk. If being gentlemanly wasn’t enough, he wasn’t overbearing either.

“I would prefer a Y/F/F flavor, if that is possible?” You asked in a saccharine sweet voice, your face painted as innocent as a lamb.

“Y-yes my Lady.” The waiter says, bowing to the both of you and quickly making his way out of the area. Now yours and Shouto’s laughter was perfectly audible.

“Thank you, Shouto. That was both eloquent and perfectly strict.” You compliment, reaching for the glass of water placed at your side.

“Well, no one should speak to a Lady like that in any way, especially you.” He says. “Oh, and before I forget,” he reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out the parcel, sliding it in front of you.

“For me?” You asked in surprise, you finger trailing around the twine that was keeping the little parcel wrapped.

“Indeed.” A giddy smile takes over your face as you carefully unwrap the parcel, letting the paper fall to the side revealing the ribbon that you were so interested in earlier.

“Oh, Shouto…” you breathe, lifting the baby pink lace ribbon. “You really didn’t have to-”

“I did.” He interjects, his voice steady. “And I expect you to get used to it. Before long you will be showering in a mountain of gifts and affections from me.” He says playfully, earning an eager look from you. Taking advantage of the moment, you reach up into your hair and let the ribbon you were currently wearing unravel, letting your hair curl around your shoulders. Quickly, you tie it back up with the ribbon Shouto got you, letting a pleased smile spread across his cheeks. “You look absolutely radiant.”

“It must be the dress color. I think it looks well on me, does it not?” You say cheekily, earning a chuckle from Shouto.

“You truly do wonders with yellow.”


End file.
